Pléneuf-Val-André

Overview: Pléneuf-Val-André is a coastal course on Brittany’s Emerald Coast, laid out above the beach and cliff line at Les Vallées. The routing moves through open heath, coastal grassland and sheltered folds in the land, so the sea is a strategic presence as well as a backdrop. Wind changes the preferred line, while the rolling ground and protected greens make approach placement important. The par-five 11th is the defining visual moment, but the course’s interest comes from how the entire round builds toward and away from the coast.

History: The 18-hole course opened in 1992 on a 62-hectare communal site beside the shore. Alain Prat is consistently credited as the architect, and the course was designed as a public coastal facility rather than a private estate layout. Since 2007, Pléneuf-Val-André has hosted the Open de Bretagne, bringing Challenge Tour competition to the course and giving its exposed holes a regular place in professional golf.

Did You Know? The 11th hole runs along the cliff edge above the beach and is commonly singled out as the course’s signature par five. Its setting is a reminder that the course is not simply built beside the sea: several holes use the coastal topography itself to shape the decision from tee to green.